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Effects of pediatric blood lead surveillance on Navy population health (1995-2001)
Bruce K Bohnker1, Erica Schwartz, James McGinnis
1Navy Environmental Health Center, 620 John Paul Jones Circle, Suite 1100, Portsmouth, VA 23708, USA.
Insights
Navy Medicine
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Public Health
Background:
- Public health concern over pediatric blood lead levels prompted the establishment of a surveillance program.
- The Navy Environmental Health Center managed a central database for collected pediatric blood lead samples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze pediatric blood lead levels from a surveillance program spanning 1995-2001.
- To identify trends and risk factors associated with elevated blood lead levels in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Collected and analyzed 38,502 pediatric blood samples from 1995 through 2001.
- Categorized children into high-risk and low-risk groups, considering on-base and off-base residency.
- Statistical analysis to determine relative risk and significance of elevated lead levels.
Main Results:
- Overall prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (>10 microg/dL) was 1.6%, showing a decreasing trend over time.
- High-risk children had similar elevated rates whether living on or off base (2.4% vs. 2.5%).
- Low-risk children living on base had significantly lower elevated rates (0.4%) compared to those living off base (1.3%), with a relative risk of 3.44.
Conclusions:
- The pediatric lead surveillance program demonstrated a decreasing trend in elevated blood lead levels.
- Specific on-base locations were identified as higher risk for pediatric lead exposure, necessitating continued monitoring.
- Residency on base was associated with lower blood lead levels in low-risk children.
Abstract:
Navy medicine instituted a pediatric lead surveillance program in 1995 because of a public health concern over pediatric blood lead levels. This program included local sampling of pediatric populations and a central database at the Navy Environmental Health Center. That database contains 38,502 samples from 1995 through 2001 with 1.6% above 10 microg/dL. The number of samples submitted and percentage with elevated lead levels has steadily decreased during the 6-year reporting period. Rates above 10 microg/dL for children considered at high risk were similar for those residing on (2.4%) and off base (2.5%). Rates above 10 microg/dL for children considered at low risk, living off base, were 1.3%, whereas those living on base were 0.4% (relative risk = 3.44, p = 0.00, 95% confidence interval = 2.34-5.20). Several locations were identified as having higher risk for elevated blood levels that warrant continued surveillance.
